New Delhi, February 17 (HS): A meeting was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider the name of the new Chief Election Commissioner of the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attended this meeting held in North Block. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar's term ends tomorrow.

Under the old system, the most senior Election Commissioner in the three-member Election Commission has been made the Chief Election Commissioner. However, under the law related to the appointment of Election Commissioners, now the new Chief Election Commissioner will be selected through a committee. Under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Terms of Service and Terms of Office) Act, 2023, the new Chief Election Commissioner can also be the Election Commissioner currently included in the Commission or a new name can be decided.

Under the Act, a search committee headed by the Union Law and Justice Minister prepares a list of five candidates. Arjun Ram Meghwal is currently the Minister of Law and Justice. This list is then considered by the selection committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister. If consensus is not reached, the committee decides the name on the basis of majority.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar